1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine and a game control method thereof, which allow symbol scroll to be manually stopped.
2. Description of Related Art
There have been known gaming machines configured to display plural types of symbols scrolled and then stopped, and to award a predetermined amount of game media (e.g. a predetermined amount of coins or money) according to a combination of symbols presented after stopping the scroll. Such gaming machines are disclosed in the specifications of U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,133, U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,983, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,102, for example.
Among those gaming machines is a gaming machine which runs a free game when a predetermined condition (e.g. rearrangement of a particular symbol during a slot game) is met during a game. The free game is a game playable without a need of betting a game media. For example, the specification of the publication of Australian patent application No. 1972001 discloses a gaming machine which runs a sub game as a free game, when a predetermined condition (e.g. a particular arrangement of symbols) is met during a base game.
In addition, there is another arrangement in which the number of free games may be increased when another predetermined condition is met during a free game. However, the probability that the number of free games is increased is constant and typically low. The arrangement therefore fails to deliver a sufficient expectation and satisfaction. In view of the above, it is desirable to provide some kind of expectation and satisfaction for the player during a period of repeated free games.
The present invention is made in view of the above problem, and the object thereof is to provide a gaming machine and a playing method thereof capable of giving a player an expectation and satisfaction even during repeated free games.